Hello My Name Is

I’m curious, how many of my fellow bloggers use a pseudonym (or, like me, a partial pseudonym)?

When I initially began blogging, I chose a pseudonym primarily because I worked in a ridiculously conservative industry and didn’t like the idea of my employer Googling my full legal name and finding my little corner of the Interwebs.

Now that I’ll be soon starting a new job in a more laid back environment, I’m somewhat tempted to “come out” with my secret blogging identity to people I know in real life. You see, there are very few people in my real life whom I’ve told about this blog. Obviously my husband reads it, as do a very small handful of friends. (And by very small, I mean two!).

I’m not even really sure what’s stopping me at this point. Fear of ridicule? Anxiety over being accepted? It’s not like I’m friends and family with a bunch of bullies, so those fears are entirely unfounded.

If you use a pseudonym on your blog, do you openly publish and share your blog with social media acquaintances in real life?

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33 comments

I actually post mine on facebook now and it even has its own fb page so friends who want to read it can but those who arnt interested don’t have to. I was very shy about it at first but everyone has been very supportive. Give it a go.X

I use a pseudonym (half of one) and I’m not linked to my personal FB page, mostly for privacy issues. Years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor in the local paper and a woman looked me up and called my home number! Fortunately, she was calling to tell me she agreed with my opinion, but it freaked me out. It’s kind of ironic, because I’m a writer and hope to be published some day, but I’m pretty sure I’ll still write under a different name. By the way, only 2 of my friends read my blog too, and my husband NEVER does. I keep teasing him that I could write all sorts of stuff about him (I don’t) but he still doesn’t care. He’d rather game than read my blog. LOL

Lisa, your situation sounds a lot like mine!! Haha I think it was quite a while before my husband actually read my blog – I teased him with the same threat 😉

And goodness, that is scary about the woman phoning you up like that! I totally relate to the irony, though. I desperately want to be published one day, but the idea of publicity both entices and frightens me. It’s like, on the one hand, if someone told me “Your blog will become as popular as the Pioneer Woman’s website, and you’ll get book deals!” I would obviously be ecstatic. But on the other hand, the idea of being so *out there* online scares me.

I don’t post my name on my blog, but bloggers I’ve gotten to know know what it is 🙂 (My first name at least- that might be weird, now that I think about it…) I do share my blog on Facebook but it took me I would say a good six months to do so, and even now I still make sure not to bombard my friends!

When you decided to start sharing it with friends on Facebook, were your nervous at all about the reception? I keep telling myself not to be scared and that everyone will be supportive, but I have this (irrational?) fear of public embarrassment upon friends and family seeing my creative outlet.

I share my blog on Facebook and on pretty much all of the other social media sites I use. I’ve also given my first name on my blog. If you are connected to me via Facebook, you know my full name. I was hesitant at first to be so “open”, but at the same time, a part of me wants to be well known for my writing. What’s crazy is that my boyfriend and I have been recognized in public before. We do a lot of Steampunk events. We also used to do all of the costume beer crawls. We have won costume contests and such, and we seem to always be on the promo posters. It’s crazy weird. We were at a steakhouse a couple years ago and someone said to me, “Superwoman?!” Not hardly, sir, but yes, I dressed up as her 😂😂. I was also hesitant to be so open about my blog because I don’t hold back, I use choice language, and I share pretty embarrassing things about myself. I was afraid how it would be received by those I know. However, the feedback I’ve gotten has been pretty positive. I would “come out of the closet”! LOL

I am so overwhelmed with how many encouraging comments I am receiving on this post! 🙂

I totally 100% know what you mean about the duality of both wanting to be famous for our creative output and also being scared of being so open. It’s like I mentioned in my reply to someone else’s comment, I dream of one day making an impact on the world with my writing and photography. So theoretically I should embrace being open with my blog. But at the same time, I feel like I’m teetering with indecision, and only because of silly fears of being rejected.

That is so, so cool that you and your boyfriend get recognized!!!! And you are totally badass like Supergirl!! 🙂

I write with a partial pseudonym, too. I started posting my blogs on my personal Facebook page a few months ago because I wrote something that I really wanted my family to read. I was nervous as long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs because I knew that others would read it, too. But the reactions and support that I got were amazing. Then I wrote a post about an event I attended and even tagged a couple of people when posting it. I got more views of course but I got a compliment from a complete stranger that meant a lot to me. Simply “very evocative writing!” The fact that a stranger read it and liked it was huge to me because i feel that friends and family will be supportive even if I suck. But strangers… not so much. Anyway, the short of it is that it’s scary but I found it to be worth every nervous breath to share my posts! Good luck no matter how you choose! ❤ 🙂

I started my blog mostly because my Facebook family practically insisted I do so. Well, some said “write a book”, to which I said, “no, thank you” and started my blog to teach them to be careful what they wish for. 😉

I just have my first name on my blog – I believe doing a Facebook search with my full name and location would lead people right onto me. None of my friends or family know I run this blog, and I would like to keep it that way for now.

Tony, it’s so good to hear from you! I hope your exams and everything have gone well – I’ve missed reading your blog. Thank you for stopping by and commenting; I really enjoy hearing your perspective on the matter of anonymity. Reading your take on it reminds me that it is kind of fun to have a secret identity no one in real life knows about!

I use my real first name in my comments (Debra) but I don’t have any face photos. Like you, it’s due to work. My role as a senior manager in the public sector meant I didn’t use my full real name on fbook either. The only person who knows that I blog is my partner. He’s supportive but doesn’t follow what I do. None of my friends and family know that I’m a Blogger. For now I quite like it this way. My blog is my thing without having to consider what people who know me might think. I would be interested to see how you find ‘going public’. Great topic for a post and interesing comments.

Yes, I am very pleased with the discussion this post has generated. It really is fascinating to hear others’ thoughts and perspectives on the matter. For a long time I enjoyed the separation of real life and blog life, but now I think I am at a point where I want them converging, since I no longer have a compelling reason not to do so.

I write under my real name and happily share post on Instagram and Twitter, but my family and many of my friends or colleagues don’t about my blog. They know I write, just not where I do… I guess not writing in my first language comes handy here. I understand why you don’t share in FB but I think if you want to do, you should… The people who love you will be happy to read you, and those who don’t want to read you don’t have too! Good look in your ‘renewed’ blogging adventure! x

Hahahah OMG Charlotte, I can totally relate!! I’m such a chicken as well. I also don’t write under my real name,because my name is unique and then my photos and posts will be all over the internet…sigh! And the industry I previously worked in was kind of a “fear environment”, so once I’ll manage to secure a new job in a cooler environment I might use my name…or once my blog becomes more established..LOL. LOVELY POST and have a wonderful day!! xo, Jey

Hi Charlotte, I write under a partial pseudonym, actually my Facebook is under the same name. I actually prefer it like that, it gives me a little protection, not that anyone has been at all negative. I’ve found that other bloggers have only been kind and supportive. I share my blog on my FB. I tend not to write about things that are too close to my heart. I keep to posting pictures and blog about days out/holidays. I hope you do give it a try, you can be as open or as closed as you want, remember it’s your blog! Good luck xx

[…] for Thursday Night Trivia to start at our favorite local Mexican restaurant. I had just published this post about how I use a partial pseudonym and keep two entirely separate online presences, the latter of […]

Sorry…I realize this post is from a while back but just came across it. I started out using a pen name for my fiction writing for similar reasons to you. I worked a highly-visible job in a very conservative community. I wrestled about whether or not to continue using the pen name for more than a year, and decided to put it to bed with 2016. For me, it was a matter of no longer writing (and living) in fear (mostly of people not liking my work). I wrote about it on my blog last month (fairly new to WordPress). Thanks for sharing!

I use a nickname but I post updates on instagram. If you want to use your real name, go for it! If not, wait until you’re ready xx I’ve just started my blog, and I’m not too confident either. Maybe you could check it out? X